THE 9th of May is a yearly Russian holiday that marks the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union at the end of World War 2.
Celebrations are held across former Soviet Republics since the USSR paid the heaviest price for defeating the Nazis — the loss of over 26 million lives of its people. At that time, everyone fought against a single enemy, regardless of nationality and religion.
For the Muslims of the USSR — those days they made up more than 30 per cent of the country's population — it was a time of trials and bitter losses.
Starting from the very first days of the Great Patriotic War (the war of Soviet Russia against the Nazis in 1941-1945, a part of World War 2) millions of citizens all over USSR took part in it.
And there were more than 3.5 million Muslims from different parts of the great country who joined the fight against the foreign invaders as soldiers and officers of the Soviet Red Army.
In 1942, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims in the European part of the USSR and Siberia declared a holy war — jihad — against German fascism.
Mufti Gabdrakhman Rasulev called on the Muslim community to stand up for the Motherland.
"There is not a single faithful whose son, brother or father who would not fight the Germans today, defending our common homeland with arms in hands," said Rasulev then in his address to the community.
During the war, many strategic assets were evacuated from the occupied territories to the USSR's eastern regions including those of Muslim majority areas where hundreds of thousands of refugees found shelter and assistance.
And thousands of tons of food, equipment and ammunition were sent in the opposite direction to support citizens and troops on the frontline.
Thanks to the money collected by Muslims, thousands of aircrafts, underwater boats, tanks and other weapons and military equipment were produced for the Army in the battle to oust the enemy.
Many Muslims were among Soviet citizens who joined the Army and demonstrated their heroism and courage in the bloodiest battles of the war.
Just one example: In the summer and autumn of 1942, the 115th Kabardino-Balkarian Cavalry Division, a Muslim military unit of the Red Army, participated in battles to hold back Nazi troops moving toward Stalingrad and the North Caucasus, and after that, unfortunately, it had to be disbanded due to irreparable losses amounting to more than two-thirds of the personnel.
In those days, the Soviet Muslims considered themselves to be an inalienable part of the country and the community defended the common homeland.
They defended the freedom of future generations. And now the descendants cherish the memory of their ancestors who fell in the war, and preserve their legacy.
The writer is Russian ambassador to Malaysia and wishes Malaysian Muslims a Happy Aidilfitri
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
